“I would like to become tolerant without overlooking anything, persecute no one even when all people persecute me; become better without noticing it; become sadder, but enjoy living; become more serene, be happy in others; belong to no one, grow in everyone; love the best, comfort the worst; not even hate myself anymore."- Elias Canetti

Your Body’s Metabolism—Explained

Get insight into how you burn calories day and night

By Alyssa Shaffer

Did you know that as few as two nights of not getting enough sleep can slow your metabolism? Or that your body uses more energy to digest whole foods (like fruits and veggies) than processed, packaged foods? Below, Alyssa Shaffer—longtime health, fitness and nutrition writer and the author of Turn Up Your Fat Burn—addresses common curiosities about your body’s ability to burn calories.

Q: My friend can eat anything she wants and not gain an ounce, but I take one bite of a brownie and it goes straight to my hips. What gives?

A: Thank your parents for your brown eyes, your wavy hair and, in large part, your metabolism. Sorry to say, but your friend just naturally burns more calories than you do. That said, even though you’re born with a certain metabolism, you do have quite a bit of control over it, notes Dr. Westcott.

Here’s why: About 60% to 85% of the calories you burn during the day are spent on basic functions like breathing, digestion and circulation (this is called your resting metabolic rate, or RMR). Most women need at least 1,200 calories to support their RMR. The rest of your calorie burn is split between working out (going for a swim or a run) and everyday activity (walking to your car, carrying groceries). All of these areas (even your RMR) can be manipulated to make your everyday life more active (as we suggested on page 99), so you can eat more without putting on pounds.

Q: Do I burn more calories during the day than at night?

A: Yes. Although your RMR stays pretty consistent, you’re more active during the day so you’re burning more calories overall. Research actually shows that people who eat the majority of their calories later in the day tend to eat more calories, weigh more and have more body fat. Try making breakfast and lunch your bigger meals.

Q: Does dieting hurt my metabolism?

A: You may have heard that yo-yo dieting (gaining and losing weight intermittently) can permanently throw off your metabolism, but research shows that’s not the case. What does slow your metabolism is eating too few calories. Even just a day or two of a very low-calorie diet can have this effect, so make sure you’re taking in at least 1,200 to 1,500 per day.

Q: Could a medical condition cause my metabolism to slow down?

A: Possibly. People often blame weight gain on hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), but only a small percentage of people have it severely enough to make a noticeable difference in weight, says Dr. Garber.

How Many Calories Did You Burn Today?

You can get a pretty good estimate of your metabolism (how many calories you’ll burn throughout the day, not including working out) with some simple formulas.

If you’re mostly sedentary:

You rarely exercise, sit at a desk or at home for most of the day and drive to run errands.

Multiply your body weight by 12.

Calories burned by a 150-pound woman: 1,800

If you’re moderately active:

You exercise 3 to 5 days a week at a light-to-moderate intensity level (a 30-minute brisk walk); strength-train once or twice a week; stand a lot at your job or taking care of kids at home; you walk a few blocks to the store.

Multiply your body weight by 14–15.

Calories burned by a 150-pound woman: 2,100–2,250

If you’re very active:

You exercise at a moderate-intense to very intense level at least 6 days a week; strength-train at least 3 times a week; are on your feet or moving about for most of your day; you mostly walk to do errands and rarely drive.

20 Ways to Burn More Fat

You've counted calories and walked and walked, but your skinny jeans still don't fit. What gives? We turned to the experts for tips on how to rev up your metabolism, increase lean muscle mass and avoid eating those extra calories that end up being stored as fat.

Aging Eyes; Deteriorating Eyesight

It seems most people over the age of 45 notice some change in eyesight. Have you found yourself moving the menu back and forth until you find just the right range of vision? Me too! Often called the windows to the soul, eyes also serve as windows to the outer world; filling our life with vibrant colors and visual stimuli. But, in this world of constant visual stimuli, our eyes can become overused and worn out. Unfortunately, we never seem to think about our eyes unless they begin giving us problems. To function properly, our eyes need rest, exercise and proper nutrition. Not all is lost; eyes respond so quickly to just a bit of simple care:

Rest: The common cause of deteriorating eyesight is eyestrain. Without rest, the eyes become tired and cease functioning at optimal levels. Time in front of the computer, watching television, reading in poor or too bright of light, and stress can all cause eyestrain. Use good lighting when reading or doing handiwork.

Exercise: Like all muscles in your body, the eye muscles can be strengthened with proper exercise, which improves circulation and muscle coordination. Just a few minutes of daily eye exercises and your eyes will feel and see significantly better. Here's how...Start by moving your eyes to the right as far as you can, stretching the muscles. Pause. Roll your eyes slowly up to the center top. Toll them back as far as you can as if you're trying to see into the top of your head. Pause. Continue slowly rolling your eyes to the left, stretching them as far as you can. Pause. Slowly roll your eyes down to the center, stretching the muscles downward. Finally move your eyes together, peering toward the tip of your nose. Repeat this four times, then reverse directions. Your eye muscles will feel relaxed and the tiny capillaries that surround the eyes will be filled with fresh, nourishing blood.

Nourishment: A healthy diet filled with dark-green leafy veggies, fresh fruits, and high-quality protein will supply your eyes with most of the nutrients they need. However, when you are trying to improve your eye health, concentrate on foods that are particularly rich in vitamin A, protein, zinc, antioxidants, and lutein. Many yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkin, winter squashes, and apricots are rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids, the precursors to vitamin A and are particularly good for your eyes. Dark blue or red fruits such as bilberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, and huckleberries tend to be rich in lutein and in antho-cyanosides, compounds that are especially beneficial to your eyes.

And, let's not forget about sunlight. Direct sunlight is detrimental to your eye health; however, natural lighting nourishes the eyes. Try to expose your eyes to sunlight everyday. When dealing with the full glare of the sun wear dark tinted sunglasses, but only when necessary.

Like brushing your teeth, make these activities a part of your daily routine and your eyes will respond with a clear view of the future.

Vision Food: Get Your Greens

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"On the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the Perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet as I was, by the Endeavor, a better and a happier Man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it."- Benjamin Franklin

Remember when you were a kid and claimed that your dog ate your homework, when really you just didn't get around to writing your book report? Of course, your teacher knew you were fibbing. While most of us are past blaming the dog instead of taking responsibility for our actions, this doesn't mean that we're beyond using excuses—whether we realize it or not.

As a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I've heard almost every reason under the sun for why people "can't" be active, let alone do something specific like lifting weights for the recommended 20 to 30 minutes twice a week. However, outside of an actual health condition and a doctor's note saying that strength training isn't recommended, lifting weights is so beneficial to the majority of people that all excuses are busted pretty quickly.

The benefits of weight training are numerous, including increased muscle strength, balance, bone density, lean muscle mass, insulin sensitivity and cardio endurance—not to mention that strong, lean muscles simply look better! So if you've been making excuses and opting out of weight training, read on to get the (nice) kick in the workout pants that you need to start benefiting from regular strength training.

Busting 7 Common Strength Training Excuses

Excuse #1: Strength training is boring. If you get bored easily or like activities that are a little more fast-paced and engaging, then strength training really is for you—the sky is the limit! From groupclasses that pair lifting weights to fun music, to suspension training with the TRX, workout DVDs, free weights, kettlebells, circuit training (more on that below) and even using your own body weight at home while watching TV, the options are endless—and certainly not boring.

Excuse #2: I don't have time for strength and cardio. The best thing about strength training is that it can double as cardio if you do it the right way! There are three basic ways to do this. First, you can add some cardio moves, such as mountain climbers or jumping jacks or marching in place, between different strength exercises to get your heart rate up and keep it elevated through your entire workout. Second, you can do a circuit-training type format where you have no rest between exercises and perform moves that work major muscle groups (such as lunges, squats and push-ups which target multiple muscles). This also keeps your heart rate elevated, giving you a high calorie burn and working your cardiovascular system. Third, you can do strength moves that work the lower body with the upper body (for example a lunge with a bicep curl), to really get your heart pumping.Continued ›Excuse #6: I don't want to get hurt. Moving your body in new ways and lifting weights can certainly make you more susceptible to injury. But, if you warm up properly, lift weights using proper form, understand the difference between soreness and pain and really listen to your body (not pushing it too hard, especially in the beginning), the benefits of strength training far outweigh the risks.

The strength-training workout for you: Sign up for a session with a certified personal trainer to show you the basics of strength training including proper form, breathing and appropriate weight selections. Also be sure to read these tips to stay injury-free!

7. I'm trying to lose weight, so cardio is more important. When it comes to weight loss, a calorie burned is a calorie burned, no matter how you go about it. And the whole idea behind losing weight is cutting calories through both diet and exercise—not just cardio exercise either. In fact, many strength workouts like bootcamps, kettlebell training and circuit training can count as cardio (see excuse #2 above) and help you burn more calories than easy- to moderate-intensity cardio does. In addition, strength training adds muscle to your body, which boosts your metabolism, as muscle burns more calories per ounce than fat. It can also help to reshape and tighten your body.

Bottom line: If you're using excuses to keep you from lifting weights, it's time to drop the nay-saying and just try it. Strength training is an essential activity for overall health that will help your body composition, thereby making weight-loss easier. So don't delay; try strength training today!

The Portion Distortion Guide

A List of Serving Sizes

Selecting the right foods also means choosing portions that are proper serving sizes. The terms "portion" and "serving" are often used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat for meals or snacks (like a plateful of pasta or a handful of raisins). In comparison a "serving" is the amount of food that experts recommend you eat (like 1 cup of milk or 1 ounce of bread). Servings are listed on a food's nutrition facts label too. When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to these recommended serving sizes.

The Portion Distortion Guide

A List of Serving Sizes

Selecting the right foods also means choosing portions that are proper serving sizes. The terms "portion" and "serving" are often used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat for meals or snacks (like a plateful of pasta or a handful of raisins). In comparison a "serving" is the amount of food that experts recommend you eat (like 1 cup of milk or 1 ounce of bread). Servings are listed on a food's nutrition facts label too. When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to these recommended serving sizes.

Blue Skies to you....my name is Kathy Babcock I have been in the fitness industry for over 25 years....wow....I am old....which brings me to my next thought...We can Feel, Fantastic, Fit, Fulfilled, and Free at any age.....So here goes 50+ for me and my new decade where I will continue to strive to live by the idea we truly can Feel Fantastic, Fit, Fulfilled and Free at any age if we take small steps consistently to treat our bodies like a temple and remember that it is the only place we have to live in....why not REALLY LIVE! If I can motivate any of my Corporate Groups, Private Pilates Clients, Women's Groups and Youth Groups to Value their 'Wellness', Love Others with an open heart, See their Worth and to 'REFUSE TO LIVE AN UN-LIVED LIFE'. I believe that if I can leave a client, group or loved one 'BETTER THAN I FIND THEM'....then my work is done! 'Health and Love...Jewels of Life' ...
I would like to invite you to see my KUSI SAN DIEGO NEWS FITNESS SPOT EVERY WEDNESDAY @ 9:AM GOOD MORNING SHOW WITH CINDY WHITMARSH TO GET YOUR WEEK STARTED AND ENDING WITH A GREAT MOOD AND A NEW WAY TO FIND ENERGY, HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN YOUR LIFE!! COME ON....YOU SAID TODAY I WILL BEGIN MY FITNESS DEPOSIT YESTERDAY? YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!!